Thanks to Crooked Lane Books & NetGalley for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't enjoy this to start with - I found it slow & didn't like the characters. However, it does pick up around 40% and moves at a decent pace. I just found it a bit average & I struggled to not be distracted while reading this.

Never Turn Back is a fast-paced family drama/thriller that takes place in Atlanta. A childhood trauma becomes intertwined with a current day one-night stand and multiple twists and turns ensue, I suggest not reading the book flap so that you can appreciate all of the events that take place with an element of surprise.
I've read both of Christopher Swann's novels and enjoy his style of writing. A great literary thriller!
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Solidly Paced Mystery. This was a fun romp through Atlanta and North Georgia that starts out seeming like it doesn't really have a point before pivoting in one direction... and then nearly causing whiplash with an out of the blue pivot in a complete other direction still. Really, really fun book that has somewhat of a surprise/ shocking revelation in the last 10% before ending on a much more contemplative note. This was my first book from this author, and if he continues to write these types of tales it certainly won't be my last. Very much recommended.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

This book is an exciting read from start to finish. The characters we meet come from very varied walks of life. We have teachers, crooks, and psycho lovers. The novel opens with the murder of a husband and wife. Their son and daughter suffer serious gunshot wounds. These events are revealed in a series of flashbacks.

In the present time, the son has become a successful teacher, while the daughter has had psychological problems all her life. Into this mix, we add a beautiful seductress. What else could go wrong?

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A brother and sister who experienced the painful loss of their parents through an act of violence have to find a way to navigate through their trauma. In the midst of their struggles, a psychopath shows up.

Interesting story line. I love the ending.

A good story full of tension a surprising twist. Interesting and well written characters provide a great example of family dynamics and loyalty especially when things go horribly wrong. The pacing is a bit uneven but the story pieces were expertly woven and made this a compelling and enjoyable read.

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC.

I really didn’t know what to expect from this book but I was pleasantly surprised. The blurb tells you everything you need to know (and some things you don’t) about the plot, so I won’t go there. But I do want to tell you that the story was very engaging. Mr Swann writes really well and his characters jump off the page.

Ethan and Susannah (Suzie) can’t quite put the past behind them. When they were young their parents were killed and they were shot and injured in a home invasion gone horribly wrong. Suzie, who is a couple of years younger than Ethan, blames herself (it is explained in the book) and, although she is very smart, she acts up, plays games with people, manipulates and generally causes a lot of trouble trying to numb the pain. Ethan also finds the memories too painful but locks them up in a box in his mind and tries to forget. When anyone gets too close the shutters come down and he backs away.

When Ethan crosses paths with Marisa though he entertains the thought that she might be the one...until she goes digging into the past he is so desperate not to acknowledge. Then it gets really interesting! Marisa does not take kindly to being denied and I thought - aha, so this is where we’re going! Nope, the book changes direction again, and then again. All in all it is a clever piece of writing, a great story with great characters (except the evil witch, Marisa). It is also thought provoking about the importance of family, loyalty, redemption, and of forgiveness and moving on. I’ll be looking out for Mr Swann’s next book for sure. Many thanks to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and Christopher Swann for providing a review copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

4 stars. A twisty turny read with some unexpected moments. Ethan and his sister experienced trauma as kids, and now it resurfaces in adulthood. A quick and easy read, Definitely great for a day at the beach or a free day to delve into a great book. Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I thought I'd love this book based on the summary, but I found it to be just an average read, at best. I had problems staying fully engaged. I enjoyed the shorter chapters, and the mystery did keep me guessing, for the most part. I wasn't impressed with the amount of swearing in the story. It could've been just fine without it. It was a bit unusual that the past/present storylines didn't intersect at some point. While it wasn't as twisty and engaging as I'd hoped, I'll consider reading other books by this author in the future.

Wow, this was one of those well written books, which hooked me and didn’t let go until the end! I’ve seen many mention the synopsis and it giving too much away and have to agree, so unless it changes do not read it prior to reading book! Overall, I felt this book was realistic, well written, with amazing character development! It gave me some great thrills, chills, and some stocks! I do highly recommend, especially going in blind! I promise that my fellow thrill seekers will be quite content with what this book gives them!
Will make sure to buzz it up and use low Amazon reviewer number on release date!

New to Christopher Swann but will definitely be looking for more of his titles. A great start to the novel but somewhere along the way it did a get bit muddled. The characters were intense and I did want to know what more and more about them. A good novel about family secrets and has a satisfying ending!

This story follows Ethan, a teacher with a gruesome past. His family was slaughtered one night and he fears it was his fault. Now it seems his past has become his present. Can his lay his past to rest once and for all?
I loved the characters in this story especially Wilson. It was well written and the characters were well developed. I did find it a little dragged out and it kind in marched from point A to B to C with very little in the way of surprises or twists and turns. It was still a good read and I enjoyed the story.

To the point I enjoyed this book. There were times I felt I couldn’t put it down and times I thought it was going slow. Great story and characters, has a gangster mystery vibe

A dark but bingeworthy read from this author! I loved the description and it did not disappoint! I hope to read more from this author. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley.

Writing a review for Never Turn Back by Christopher Swann is difficult to do without revealing spoilers, therefore, the less known about this novel beforehand, the better. In the novel, lead character Ethan Faulkner is a successful, well respected high school literature teacher at a private school. Early on through flashbacks, the reader learns as a boy, Ethan and his sister were orphaned by a horrible event within their home that has left both haunted and troubled. Both were then raised by their mother's brother, Gavin, a local tavern owner and mysterious mover and shaker, with influential abilities of all sorts throughout the city of Atlanta.

While Ethan has established roots in Atlanta and mostly cordoned off the violent loss of his parents deep in his mind, his sister has had a transient and more troubled existence, spotted with bouts of mental illness.

Through current events, the past again rises with Ethan forced to re-live what happened all those years before, which includes the introduction of characters that would prefer the past stay in the past.

Never Turn Back is a well written, engaging novel, perfect for the summer backyard or beach.

This kept me on my toes! Despite knowing much of the plot based upon the synopsis, there was still a surprise or two in store.

Lots of tension and great characters.

The characters are well-developed.

I think there’s a small loss of cohesiveness midway through. I think there was another way to tie the story together. But I still really enjoyed it.

I did not finish this title. I found the dialogue to be stilted and none of the characters were likeable. I made it to just after 50% but at that point, the plot had barely started inching forward. There needed to be more movement, character development, and believable dialogue.

A little bit rushed and someone convoluted BUT if you're looking for a murder mystery to curl up poolside or to pass the time flying or just take some time for yourself on. Sunday afternoon, this book is perfect. Moves along at quite a clip; were their holes to be filled in? Yes! Did they distract from the overall story? No. Maybe another book is on the way with .ore backstory to fill in those gaps which Id gladly read

I really loved this one. From the unique weaving in of Susannah and Ethan’s tragic childhood, to the twist at the end that I did not see coming, this is an engaging family drama/ suspense novel. Yes, I say family drama because the book is primarily interested in the devastation the main characters experience and how it comes back in the present. I like my thrillers character driven, so for me, this was excellent

Never Turn Back... what a read! Please please please do yourself a favour and don't read any spoilers, the twists and turns and the ending are worth it! This is the kind of novel that I can see being made into a Hollywood film (or, as the cool kids would say nowadays, a Netflix original) and I really do wish this becomes true. I had never read anything by Christophe Swann before but if this book is anything to go by, he is one to watch!